Happiness is not the pursuit of an endless succession of experiences but an attitude toward life.

When we know the truth, we become people who don't have to think much, we become people with wisdom.

Short moments, many times. That is the essence of meditation practice.

The moment you note a thought, it disappears. The noting mind keeps the hindrances away.

The purpose of life is to be happy, to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is not to be well known, cited, or powerful.

The teaching of the Buddha is based on two truths: conventional truth and ultimate truth. Without understanding the relationship between these two, the deeper meaning of the Buddha's teaching cannot be understood.

Each decision we make, each action we take, is born out of an intention.

The six realms of existence are like a dream, why build a prison for yourself?

The path to enlightenment is not a path at all. It is a realization that where you are is where you have always been.

Love is not a feeling. It's a capability.

The zazen I speak of is not meditation practice. It is simply the dharma gate of joyful ease.

There is no difference at all between samsara and nirvana. There is no difference at all between nirvana and samsara.

Each breath is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to awaken.

When you understand that all phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self, attachment naturally falls away.

When I run from suffering, it follows me. When I face suffering with equanimity, it runs from me.

Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope - a slight change, and all patterns alter.

The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconsciousness is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, he becomes one with the perfecting of his technical skill.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we understand that we can't hold on to anything.

The nature of mind is like a mirror. It is not affected by whatever appears in it, yet it never fails to reflect everything perfectly.

The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred.

You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.

Do everything with a mind that lets go. Don't accept praise or gain or anything else. If you let go a little, you will have a little peace; if you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.

The best way to control people is to encourage them to be mischievous. Then they will be in control in a wider sense.

The spiritual journey is not about heaven and finally getting to a place that's really swell.

The practitioner and practice are like fire and wood. The more you practice, the more you burn.

The law of nature is the law of cause and effect. As you sow, so shall you reap.

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

The essence of Buddhist practice is to reduce our selfishness and to work for the benefit of others.

Our emotions are like waves in the ocean. We can't stop the waves, but we can learn to surf.

To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we appreciate each moment of our lives.

The obstacle is the path.

Zen proposes its solution by directly appealing to facts of personal experience and not to book-knowledge.